Glenn Quinn | Heroin Overdose Death

Glenn Quinn was an Irish actor who died from an accidental heroin overdose in 2002 at the age of 32. 

He was well-known for his portrayal of Mark Healy in the sitcom Roseanne and the half-demon character Allen Doyle on the tv series Angel, a spin-off of the popular Buffy the Vampire Slayer show.

How Glenn Quinn Died

On December 30, 2002, Glenn Quinn was found at a friend’s home located in North Hollywood, California. Quinn had passed away from a drug overdose.

The coroner later revealed the cause of death was from an accidental heroin overdose which occurred earlier in the day before his body was found.

About Glenn Quinn

Glenn Quinn was born to parents Bernadette and Murty Quinn in Dublin, Ireland in May 1970. His father was a notable singer of the Miami Showband.

Glenn Quinn was raised in Ireland until he left at the age of 18. He had three siblings, Sonja, Louisa, and Ciaran. However, Ciaran was put up for adoption as a child and Quinn was not aware of this at the time of his death.

Acting Career

In 1988, Glenn Quinn moved to Los Angeles, California with his mother and two sisters, Sonja and Louisa. Before landing a speaking role in Beverly Hills, 90210, Quinn participated in several television commercials as well as a music video called “Satisfied” by Richard Marx.

In 1991, Quinn appeared in his first major movie role in the film Shout, starring opposite John Travolta and Gwyneth Paltrow and sharing an on-screen kiss with the latter.

Although Quinn participated in popular television shows such as Roseanne and Angel, he struggled with substance abuse issues throughout his career. After his passing, a memorial fund was established by actor Michael Fishman, one of Quinn’s co-stars from Roseanne.

Roseanne

One of Quinn’s most popular roles includes his performance in the television sitcom Roseanne as the character Mark Healy. Starring John Goodman, Roseanne Barr, and Sarah Chalke, the Roseanne TV series became a huge hit.

In 2018, when the reboot of Roseanne, titled The Conners, aired, the absence of Quinn’s famous Mark Healy role was felt. However, the show paid a touching tribute to the late star.

For example, during one of the episodes from the reboot, the character of Becky Conner (played by Lecy Goranson) who was married to the character of Mark Healy on the show when it first aired, makes note that they were trying to have children before he passed.

With this new information added to the show, the executive producers at ABC paid tribute to Quinn by naming the son of the characters Darlene and David from the show Mark, the name of the character Quinn played on the show years prior.

The show also shed light on the struggle of alcoholism, adding that once the character of Mark passed away, Becky became depressed, turning to alcohol. Not only did the show give tribute to Quinn, they also raised awareness to the struggles of alcoholism and substance abuse.

Other Filmography

Before his death, actor Glenn Quinn’s filmography consisted of a number of movies and television shows. According to the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), some of these include:

• Fair City
• Call Me Anna
• R.S.V.P.
• The Curse of Monkey Island
• Dr. Giggles
• Shout
• Silhouette
• The Jackie Thomas Show
• Bagdad Cafe
• Beverly Hills, 90210
• At Any Cost

Glenn Quinn’s History Of Substance Abuse

Quinn began using drugs in 1987 at the early age of 17. Due to more struggles with drug abuse in 1997, he lost ownership of the Goldfinger nightclub located in LA.

Did Glenn Quinn Attend Addiction Treatment?

Despite struggling with drug use during his life, Glenn Quinn reached out to his family for help as he sought sobriety. 

In 1997, he returned to his home country of Ireland to be with his support system while attending an alcohol and drug rehab center. Afterwards, he left Ireland and returned to Los Angeles to continue acting.

Recovery Is Possible

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance abuse, recovery is possible by accessing a strong support network and attending a professional rehab program.

Treatment programs for heroin addiction include medication-assisted treatment, behavioral therapy in group and individual settings, and ongoing aftercare support.

To learn how we can help you or a loved one overcome addiction and live a healthy life, please contact us today.